In some countries they punish the victim. A woman who was brutally raped by seven men in Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 90 lashes because the crime occurred while she was in the company of a man not related to her. When the woman appealed her sentence, it was increased to 200 lashes because, by speaking out, she had insulted the dignity of the court.

In Nigeria they also punish the victims. A 15 year-old-girl whose step-father attacked her was sentenced to 100 lashes. We might not be surprised that Iran applies Sharia law in the same way.

Under Islamic law rape is very hard to prove–and an unproved charge of rape could result in the death penalty for the accuser. The law requires a victim to prove she resisted. In the United Arab Emirates evidently stabbing an attacker is not proof enough of resistance. A guest-worker from the Philipines was first sentenced to death for murder when she resisted an attack by her employer. But the enlightened and progressive UAE commuted her sentence to a year in prison, a payment of blood money to her attacker’s family, and 100 lashes.

There are numerous other examples of this kind of brutal punishment of victims.

What do these countries have in common?

Oil.

Does that mean every time we fill up our cars, we are supporting the regimes that enforce this kind of law? How many lashes per gallon does your car get?

Just because we can’t do much, doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. My suggestion is that we start a “Walk for Women” movement. If we walk instead of driving any time we can, and let others know why, it will at least call attention to the problem.

My daughter at Mother Earth News recently reminded me that we in the US actually import more oil from Canada than any other country. Well, I’m not suggesting that Canada is oppressive to women. But oil is sold on the open market, and a gallon sold anywhere affects the price everywhere, so in that sense it doesn’t matter where it comes from–every gallon we buy enriches the flogger barons.